“She’s a pretty wildflower destined for my brother's vase. I'll make her mine, even if how I do it will make flowers wilt.” A DARK FRENCH MAFIA ROMANCE Girls like me, we know how to survive. We each have our own little ways, but we acquire those skills at the same tender age. If you ask me how many times a person can die, I'll tell you many times. As many times as a man stabs you in the stomach with betrayal and wrings out your heart with lies. Girls like me, we live. We don't get a choice. We step over the cliff and fall. Eat, sleep, die, and repeat. Note: Diamonds in the Rough is Book 2 of the Diamonds are Forever trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) must be read first to follow the story. Zoe and Maxime's story concludes in Diamonds are Forever (Book 3). The Diamond Magnate collection in order: Standalone Novels (Dark Arranged Marriage & Mistaken Identity Romance) Beauty in Deception Beauty in the Broken Diamonds are Forever Trilogy (Dark Mafia / Kidnapping Romance) Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) Diamonds in the Rough (Book 2) Diamonds are Forever (Book 3) Beauty in the Stolen Trilogy (Dark Heist Romance) Stolen Lust (Book 1) Stolen Life (Book 2) Stolen Love (Book 3) Beauty in Imperfection Duology (Dark Arranged Marriage Romance) Imperfect Intentions (Book 1) Imperfect Affections (Book 2)

I'm stepping off a nine hour flight when it happens. A white van. A dark hood. Every woman's worst nightmare. "Diamond in the Rough is masterfully written, sinfully sexy, and utterly addictive! Skye Warren proves why she is the queen of dark and delicious romance." - Giana Darling, USA Today bestselling author Now I'm trapped in an abandoned church. The man who took me says I won't be hurt. The man in the cell next to me says that's a lie. I'll fight with every ounce of strength, but there are secrets in these walls. I'll need every single one of them to survive. "Five glowing stars! Diamond in the Rough is the dark and dangerous world that I love from Skye Warren. You will be completely caught up in Elijah and Holly's story from the first page to the last." - New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH is a new dark romance from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren. Finding yourself has never been so dangerous...

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become. Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy's grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.

This inspiring guide to discovering personal value and fulfilling hidden potential reveals the chemistry of confidence, the value of failure, how to pump up creativity, the seven steps to setting goals, and more.

This book is the monograph of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake by D. Bruce Means. Its publication is a culmination of over 40 years of long-term, in-depth study of the world's largest rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus. In the preface Means writes, "The limited biological knowledge available for this species is all the more amazing when one considers the economic impact of Crotalus adamanteus. Because of its large size and highly toxic venom, it is arguably the most dangerous venomous snake in the United States and Canada, accounting for more human mortality than any other species (Klauber 1972; Parrish 1980). Its ecological importance may be even more significant, however. The eastern diamondback is a major predator of the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), a significant crop pest that is probably the most abundant rodent in the southeastern United States (Lowery 1974). Moreover, the eastern diamondback, which weighs up to about thirteen pounds (5.9 kilograms), is the largest cold-blooded terrestrial vertebrate living in the temperate zones of the earth (Means 1985)."

Diamonds in Nature: A Guide to Rough Diamonds illustrates the range of crystal shapes, colours, surface textures, and mineral inclusions of rough, uncut, naturally forming diamonds. Each chapter contains photographs that show the unique physical characteristics of the diamonds, and the accompanying text describes the processes that led to their formation. This book is an invaluable reference manual for professional geoscientists—including gemmologists and exploration geologists.

Pairing their detailed, informative research with a sophisticated anecdotal approach, Joel Zoss and John Bowman have written a fascinating, original, literate, and concise compendium of the history and issues surrounding America's national pastime. Addressedøare such diverse topics as the origins of the game, the contributions of minorities and women, the evolution of umpiring, baseball's influence on literature and music, substance abuse, on- and off-field tragedy, and the game's international presence. Diamonds in the Rough is an invaluable and stimulating resource both for those who already study the game and for those who would like to learn its revealing history.

After learning to play guitar at the age of ten, Shawn Colvin was determined to make a life in music—a decision that would send a small-town girl out on the open road for good. In 1997, two decades after she started, she got her big break. Like the troubled would-be arsonist and survivor of her smash hit "Sunny Came Home," Colvin knows a thing or two about heartache—and setting fires. Diamond in the Rough recounts this passionate musician's coming-of-age, from the prairies of South Dakota to the dark smoky bars in Austin, Texas, to the world stage at the Grammys. Humorous and deeply honest, Colvin relates the experiences behind her best-loved songs in vivid color in this memoir. Diamond in the Rough captures her years of touring cross-country in bands and vans full of guys; falling in and out of love; meeting heroes like Joni Mitchell; searching for her musical identity; and making friendships that would last a lifetime. It is also an unflinching account of Colvin's struggles—weathering addiction and depression, learning to care for not only herself but also a child—and, always, channeling those experiences into song. With the wit, lyricism, and empathy that have characterized Colvin's performances and inspired audiences worldwide, Diamond in the Rough looks back over a rich lifetime of highs and lows with stunning insight and candor. In its pages, we witness the inspiring story of a woman honing her artistry, finding her voice, and making herself whole.

The best baseball stories from the state whose season is short, but there's no shortage of future major leaguers - 300 in the last 30 seasons, include Mark McGwire.

When Sky's mother is killed, Sky and her sisters are sent to different foster families, but when they discover an uncle Sky didn't know they had, Sky makes a deal with him so that she can stay with her sisters in his house.